Thank you Air France. No thanks.
Then again, if I was to inform you that there were over 6,000 pieces of delayed/missing luggage at Paris CDG airport - that would be to skip ahead of the story. Sorry.
Sorry. A word that was only mentioned by Alitalia staff, and by one AirFrance member of staff (the one who finally helped me to obtain the missing luggage). Surely, dear AirFrance, it would not have been hard to offer help, even if it seemed painful to show compassion. Indeed, there was one AirFrance staff (senior ground-crew on the ticket sales desk for AirFrance at Rome Fiumicino on Sunday night, 27 December) who appeared to be requesting a change of job. Let me take you through my story. This will also help me to articulate my letter to AirFrance whilst also offering guidance to others who might be in need of similar information...
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Log of events:
Wednesday 23 December
✈05:15 NationalExpess coach service from Winchester to Heathrow airport, due to arrive 06:35
✈06:45 Just missed a Heathrow Express service to get to Terminal 4, waited 22 minutes for following train. Proceeded to massive check-in queues; checked-in around 07:40 (last check-in time being 07:50) and scrambled to get to the Gate
✈08:20 AirFrance flight London>Rome AF2081 due to arrive 10:50 in Paris, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in FRANCE.
Folly: spent most of this 'extra time' on telephone to Priority-Pass and American Express, eventually identifying that my Amex Platinum Card was not the right Platinum Card to benefit from complementary lounge access. And there I was suspecting that I might end up spending a lot of time in airports...!
✈12:35 AirFrance code-share (flight operated by Alitalia flight) AF9846 Paris (CDG)>Rome, Fiumicino (FCO), Italy. Suffice to say that I was not expecting an easy ride, having arrived at CDG Terminal 2E at 12:30 and the next flight due to depart CDG Terminal 2F at 12:35. It was made worse by having a seat row 4 in an aircraft (ATR 72) that has only one exit at the rear. To my great surprise, the flight had not yet departed. Whilst I did reach the gate in time to board the flight, it was not quite as simple as one might hope: Terminal 2E and Terminal 2F, so close, yet so far away...
I was required to exit Terminal 2E, follow a walk-way, walk-up some stairs (escalators not working, CDG FAIL), and check-in once again. Curiously, on each of the electronic screens that I passed, my next flight was still indicated as boarding - and yet no delay was reported. This did not prompt any assistance from AirFrance staff. Indeed, on three occasions I sought the guidance of AirFrance staff regarding check-in, but was told to join the queue and wait my turn. When I eventually got to the front of the check-in desk, the lady that received my e-ticket was equally as surprised that the flight had not yet departed. After a lot of typing on the computer system (well, it seemed like a long time - but was perhaps only 3 minutes), all without looking up, she eventually told me that I could take the flight. I asked if my luggage would follow me onto the flight, and was quite trivially assured that this had been organised. (we will return to this topic later).
The security scan at CDG was a touch more demanding than LHR, this time I was asked to remove my Magnum boots (gift to my during my volunteer work for St John Ambulance, importantly they are steel-toe capped, and almost always set off the metal detectors, yet did not concern security at LHR). At the gate I comprehended that the flight had been delayed on its arrival into Paris, it was held back 1hr in Rome due to morning fog at Paris CDG. Additional delays ensued before took-off, whilst awaiting authorisation from air-traffic control.
Suffice to say that the expected arrival in Rome was considerably later than 14:40. Indeed it was closer to 16:30. Whilst longer than my earlier delay, I was to learn that this was nothing (no doubt others faced more serious delays over festive season).
Time now to return to a topic hinted at earlier: Checked-in Bags/Hold Luggage. Luggage in Rome has not been favourable to me. Same time last year, the Italian ground-crew were on strike - leading to 2 hour delay just to obtain my luggage! This time it was a more curious experience: some luggage arrived after 10-15 minutes, then some more 5 minutes later, and another batch several minutes after that. 
Alas, in none of the batches did I find my luggage. I was not alone in failing to find check-in luggage... the crowd in the Baggage Office made it evident that problems existed (flights Milan to Rome in most cases). I was joined by an American lady from my flight, waiting near the office doors. Behind us was something resembling a queue. In front of us was anything but a queue! The shouting, the gesticulations, the mess. Eventually the police were called, and the verbal+arm-waving exchange died quite suddenly. Lots of noise these Italians, yet apparently lacking guts. 
dreaming of AirFrance making travel easier...
24-27 December
✈Multiple attempts to obtain status update regarding missing luggage, at least once daily.
✈Asked again if I should contact AirFrance too, and was informed by Alitalia that there would be no benefit - as the information was shared. (later found to not be the case)
✈Purchased replacement clothes, including pair of trousers and dress-shirts. This is the festive season - and my smart clothes were missing/lost; and the clothes I had worn for travelling were going to need a wash!
✈Sunday, late morning, called Alitalia Lost Luggage service one final time - ahead of afternoon flight. Luggage still not found - apparently...
✈Advised by Alitalia to check Lost Luggage at Fiumicino airport prior to departure - just in case this was the location of my missing luggage
Sunday 27 December
✈Before 3pm, arrived Rome Fiumicino - 2hr15 before scheduled flight departure. Following instructions from earlier phone call with Alitalia Baggage Service, and headed directly to Lost&Found. Found in Terminal3 - also found to be closed on Sundays
✈Terminal1 check-in, retrieved electronic ticket from automatic check-in booth and then waited AGES to do "quick bag drop", some 30 minutes. 
All subsequent activities were done under the direction of AirFrance or Alitalia staff.
✈Proceeded through T1 Departures, going through security scan with rather casual oversight by the Guardia di Finanzia (who did not check my Missing Luggage Declaration, nor did the security staff check for a boarding pass!), I descended to T1 Arrivals baggage area - so as to conduct a visual check of luggage (there was quite a lot gathered in the far corner of the lounge) and then into Luggage Service office once again (processed much quicker than first experience, less hand-waving). Also updated location contact details for the following days (which had been logged incorrectly). The Alitalia staff advised me to go to T3 Left Luggage for ticket-less luggage, at other end of airport
✈16:25, found that T3 Left Luggage was not the right indication - and was directed (by staff at T3 Left Luggage) to T3 Arrivals Guardia di Finanzia so as to gain access to the ticketless luggage office. Another security scan, this time with more scrutiny of the passport and paperwork.
✈16:30, arrived at the ticket-less luggage office and informed the staff that I had a flight departing at 17:15 and asked if I had time to check for a missing bag. Told to be quick. The room was surprisingly small, with shelves marked with dates for when the luggage had been found. There was very little luggage for 23 December, a rapid check of other sections did not identify my missing bag. Before leaving I asked if the gate could be informed that I was on my way. "Yes, sir..." was the response. I ran.
Indeed all this activity had been at a fast pace, between terminals, up&down the stairs. Rush. Rush.
✈In Terminal 1, I ran passed my waiting parents & sister and (again) through T1 security scan. Thankfully not many people. I got to the gate at 16:55, the digital display showing "Boarding". 
And yet, the lady at the Gate did not look pleased to see me. She was shaking her head and said I was too late. Boarding had stopped, they had sent the bus at 16:30 with the other passengers who had checked in. That the plane was located away from the terminal. I asked if I could take another bus, or another vehicle - hey, I had run so much (I was sweating heavily) that I would have appreciated the run outdoors to the plane. No. Another phone call. No.
She asked where I had been, that they had made announcements for me. I informed her that I had heard no such announcements in neither T1 nor T3 Arrivals. She looked surprise, so I explained that I had been in Terminal 1 Arrivals, and had just come from Terminal 3 Arrivals - looking for the luggage that had been lost on my previous AirFrance flight, and that I had verified with the AirFrance staff at the check-in before undertaking this (fruitless) exercise. Could I please take another vehicle to the plane? No. Another phone call. No. What about my luggage? it had been removed at 16:30 when I had not boarded the bus to get to the plane. Is there another flight that I could take? No... you have to retrieve your luggage and go to the Ticket desk next to the check-in area. All said rather abruptly, certainly no empathy, making me feel more like I had made the lady miss her plane. I asked if there was another flight departing that evening that I could use, perhaps if we hurried I might be able to still get to my destination that night. Eventually she made another phone call. No, next flight tomorrow. Still quite abrupt.
My ticket was cancelled at 17.10, the flight took off with a delay. Yes, probably time for me to have caught it...
✈After 17.30 arrived in AirFrance Departures - at the sales desk, with luggage retrieved from a lonely conveyor belt (the flight I missed was now indicated on the digital screens as having departed). My primary objective was to get to my desired destination, given the circumstances I was expecting support with this - and ideally without additional cost. 
Purchased additional ticket 475.05 Euro, departing Monday 28 December very early AM, with curious return to Venice a few days later (probably in quest to keep cost down, evidently this leg of trip would not be used)
✈Returned to my Rome residence for another night... yet more wasted time - Thanks AirFrance
Monday 28 December
✈Before 5am, arrived Rome Fiumicino for check-in for flight AF2305 Rome>Paris CDG, and proceeded through security and to the gate promptly - not wishing any repeat from the previous day. AF2305 departure was delayed, no justification was offered – eventually arriving Paris CDG after 10am. The extra time was spent chatting with Alitalia staff - from whom I learned insights into the rather lopsided alliance between AirFrance and Alitalia. Quite sad to hear the stories, yet matches on my own behavioural observations.
✈After 10am arrived Paris CDG. Connecting flight AF7624 to Bordeaux was due to depart at 13.10, I therefore obtained directions to the Baggage Service in terminal 2F.
✈From 10.25am to 11.30am I was at the AirFrance "Service Baggage", from whom I learned (after waiting in a queue quite some time) that:
✛bag found by AirFrance on Sunday 27 December shortly before 8.30am in Fret1 – and that this was recorded on the Air France electronic luggage tracking system. (if this had only been communicated to me, it would have avoided stress, wasted time, extra costs, etc - thanks for nothing AirFrance!)
✛Advised to seek reimbursement from AirFrance for all extra costs, including postage of gifts
✛11.25am bag retrieved from conveyor belt outside CDG Baggage Service. My luggage had been damaged.
✛Obtained damaged luggage report from AirFrance "Service Baggage" – together with details for approved repair services in France and UK
✛Commend Estelle on handling my case. Indeed, she was the first to apologies on behalf of AirFrance.
✈After retrieving the "lost/delayed luggage" I rapidly proceeded out of 2F Arrivals and to check-in. I now needed to register the "lost/delayed luggage". Again, a long delay was encountered to check-in. Additional time was lost whilst staff verified that I could register two bags, as I now had two bags for the hold (a borrowed bag that was only partially filled, and the "lost/delayed bag" - sadly they could not be merged into a single bag)
✈After rapid processing by security, I arrived at the gate before the scheduled boarding time. Alas, the flight was delayed – no justification was given.
✈Flight AF7624 landed in Bordeaux shortly before 15.00 (scheduled arrival 14.25), luggage was retrieved 15.17 permitting me to (just) catch the awaiting bus service from Bordeaux Merignac airport to Bordeaux train station (next service significantly later).
✈SNCF train from Bordeaux to Libourne, and taxi to my final destination – arriving 18.30 on Monday 28 December, roughly 21 hours after my anticipated arrival time
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Result = wasted time, energy, & money:
Total costs incurred due to delayed luggage by AirFrance: 751.95 Euro
Total cost for damaged baggage: 35 Euro
Total : 786.95 Euro
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Email received from AirFrance on the morning 28 December 2009. Quite ironic really, given that it refers to the initial delay caused by de-icing... 1,000 air-miles for just over 1hr delay, so how much for 22hr additional delays?
Dear Mr BILLER,
I write to you further to the delay to your flight on the December 23, 2009. Please accept my sincere apologies on behalf of Air France for any inconvenience this delay may have caused. Let me assure you that the delay you experienced on this occasion was not in line with the high levels of service we aim to provide.
As gesture of genuine regret for the inconvenience suffered on this occasion, I am pleased to inform you that 1000 Miles will be credited to your Flying Blue account within the next few days.
I very much hope you will give us another opportunity to welcome you on our services and that your future flights with Air France will be to your entire satisfaction.
Yours sincerely,
AIR FRANCE
Customer Relations Department
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Related links...
AirFrance Customer Support - via online form, or using postal addresses
AIR FRANCE / Service Clients
TSA 60001
60035 BEAUVAIS CEDEX
Aeroports de Paris (ADP) aeroportsdeparis.fr Passenger Rights
European Commission's Air Passenger Rights http://apr.europa.eu includes national authorities responsible forenforcing these rights.
Denied-boarding compensation system - Regulation (EC) No 261/2004
If denied boarding against their will... and
- confirmed reservation on the flight concerned
- check-in at the time indicated in advance
This Regulation does not apply to passengers travelling free of charge or at a reduced fare not available directly or indirectly to the public.
1999 Montreal Convention, aka Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage - specifies a compensation for the victims of air disasters.
However, the Montreal Convention has yet to be ratified by all states, and as such the 1929 Warsaw Convention, amended 1955 and 1979 still holds...
Warsaw Convention - regulating liability for international carriage of persons, luggage or goods performed by aircraft for reward
- claim must be made within 2 years
- limits a carrier's liability in terms of compensation using Special Drawing Rights (SDR) and includes checked luggage/cargo + hand-luggage
- and the carriers have to issue passenger tickets and issue baggage tickets for checked-in luggage
For EU Citizens, when all efforts to obtain your rights via the carrier - final sort is to write to "Geschillencommissie Luchtvaart", P.O. Box 90600, 2509 LP The Hague, The Netherlands or calling 31 70 3105326.
Wikipedia entries:
Aviation Law info
Lost Luggage
For anyone bumped, airsafe.com offers a quick reference...
